PROPOSED CHANGES TO BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, PUBLIC HEALTH DEGREE PROGRAM IN
THE COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES CHAPTER IN THE UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG, 20122014
Type of Change
X Degree Program Change
1.
NAME OF DEGREE PROGRAM: B.S. PUBLIC HEALTH
2.
IF THE ANSWER TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IS YES, THE COLLEGE MUST
CONSULT NEAL ARMSTRONG WHO WILL DETERMINE WHETHER SACS-COC APPROVAL IS
NEEDED.
 Is this a new degree program? Yes or no?
No
 Does the program offer courses that will be taught off campus? Yes or no?
No
 Will courses in this program be delivered electronically? Yes or no?
No
3.
EXPLAIN CHANGE TO DEGREE PROGRAM:
1. Add honors option as part of the Dean's Scholars Honors Program.
2. Update degree requirements for coursework common to the public health options.
3.b.: Remove BIO 326R as a choice. Change BIO 126L to 226L to reflect course inventory change.
3.c.: Remove NTR 306 as a choice.
4.a.: Remove "and public health informatics.
3. Expand course choices in nine-hour specialization in option I.
4. Add an advanced program to award a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the School of Biological
Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Health from the School of Public
Health at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston.
5. Options I and III: Amend the statement following the biology requirement.
3a. Indicate pages in the undergraduate catalog where changes will be made. Pages 565-567
4.
GIVE A DETAILED RATIONALE FOR CHANGE. INDIVIDUAL CHANGES SHOULD BE LISTED
SEPARATELY.
1. There is student interest in an honors option for the public health degree. Addition this option will not
decrease the number of students pursuing public health from other degrees; rather, it will provide a rigorous
experience for students who are already interested in public health.
2. Students are better served with the content of BIO 326M. BIO 226L better reflects the content currently in
BIO 126L.
3. Course options are added to provide choices for student within their specializations.
4. Public health professionals are badly needed in Texas, the US, and globally. The addition of an advanced
program provides an opportunity for high-achieving undergraduate students to take graduate classes in
public health and to have these classes be credited toward their MPH degree with the UT School of Public
Health. This should attract highly motivated students, provide advanced instruction in public health, and
accelerate progress toward leadership positions in public health. This option may also be attractive to those
interested in obtaining an MD degree, so that they can enter their MD program with public health training
and an MPH.
5. Amend the statement to clarify that the suite of biology courses is required for both upper-division biology
and upper-division public health courses.
5.
SCOPE OF PROPOSED CHANGE
5a. Does this proposal impact other colleges/schools? If yes, then how?
No
5b. Does this proposal involve changes to the core curriculum or other basic education requirements (42hour core, signature courses, flags)? If yes, explain:
No
5c. Will this proposal change the number of hours required for degree completion?
No
6. COLLEGE/SCHOOL APPROVAL PROCESS
Department approval date:
(1-3) April 21, 2011; (4-5) August 18, 2011
College approval date:
(1-3) August 18, 2011; (4-5) September 1, 2011
Dean approval date:
September 26, 2011
[P AGE 5 6 5 ]
B ACH E LO R O F S CI E NC E IN PUB L IC H EA L TH
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health prepares degree program is designed to prepare graduates for entry-level
positions in public health and to equips them to pursue certificate and graduate degrees in the field. The degree
program offers broad-based training in the five core areas of public health, with a choice of six areas of
specialization.
Students for whom the degree is appropriate include those interested in health careers and in dual graduate degree
programs in medicine and public health. The degree is administered by the School of Biological Sciences.
Students who plan to follow option I must be admitted. Students who plan to follow option III must first gain
admission to option I and then apply for admission to option III. Students who plan to follow option II must be
admitted to the Dean's Scholars Honors Program as described on page 513.
Admission requirements for the option I and II program are given on page 518.
P RESCRIBED W ORK COMMON TO ALL OPTION S
All students pursuing an undergraduate degree must complete the University’s core curriculum, described in chapter
2. The core includes courses in language, literature, social sciences, natural sciences, and fine arts.
In addition, students seeking the BSPublicHealth must complete the following degree-level requirements. In
some cases, courses that fulfill degree-level requirements also meet the requirements of the core.
1. Two courses with a writing flag or a substantial writing component. One of these courses must be upperdivision. Courses with a writing flag or a substantial writing component are identified in the Course Schedule.
They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified.
2. One of the following foreign language/culture choices.14
a. Second-semester-level proficiency, or the equivalent, in a foreign language.
b. First-semester-level proficiency, or the equivalent, in a foreign language and a three-semester-hour course in
the culture of the same language area.
c. Two three-semester-hour courses in one foreign culture area. The courses must be chosen from an approved
list available in the dean’s office and the college advising centers.
3. Mathematics 408C or 408N.
4. Biology 311C, 311D, and 325 or Biology 315H and 325H. These courses must be completed before the student
progresses to other upper-division biology and.
5. Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, 310M, and 369.
1. 6. Foundation courses:
a. Public health: Public Health 317.
b. Microbiology: Biology 326M or 326R, and 226L126L.
c. Nutrition and physiology: Nutrition 312 or 312H 306 and Biology 365S.
d. Social and behavioral sciences: One of the following: Economics 304K, 304L, Psychology 301, Sociology
319, 354K.
e. Political science/government: Government 358 or Management 320F.
2. 7. Public health core:
a. Biostatistics and public health informatics: Biology 328M 318M or Statistics and Scientific Computation
328M 318M.
b. Environmental health: Public Health 338.
c. Epidemiology: Public Health 354.
d. Global health: Public Health 334.
e. Health policy and management: Public Health 358D.
f. Social and behavioral sciences: Public Health 368D.
3. Two courses with a writing flag or a substantial writing component. One of these courses must be upperdivision. Courses with a writing flag or a substantial writing component are identified in the Course Schedule.
They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified.
4. At least eighteen semester hours of upper-division coursework must be completed in residence at the University.
All students must complete at least thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework.
ADDITIONAL PRESCRIBED WORK FOR EACH OPTION
OPTION I: PUBLIC HEALTH
5.3. Mathematics 408C or 408N.
6.4. Biology 311C, 311D, and 325 or Biology 315H and 325H. These courses must be completed before the student
progresses to other upper-division biology and upper-division public health courses.
7. 5. Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, 204, 310M 320M, and 369.
6. Foundation courses:
a. Public health: Public Health 317.
b. Microbiology: Biology 326M or 326R, and 226L126L.
c. Nutrition and physiology: Nutrition 312 or 312H 306 and Biology 365S.
d. Social and behavioral sciences: One of the following: Economics 304K, 304L, Psychology 301, Sociology
319, 354K.
e. Political science/government: Government 358 or Management 320F.
7. Public health core:
a. Biostatistics and public health informatics: Biology 328M 318M or Statistics and Scientific Computation
328M 318M.
b. Environmental health: Public Health 338.
c. Epidemiology: Public Health 354.
d. Global health: Public Health 334.
e. Health policy and management: Public Health 358D.
f. Social and behavioral sciences: Public Health 368D.
8. At least nine hours from one of coursework in one of the following areas of specialization; courses counted
toward requirement 4 may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
a. Biostatistics and public health informatics: Biology 321G, 337 (Topic: Introduction to Health Informatics),
337 (Topic: Fundamentals of Health Information Technology), Computer Science 303E, 329E (approved
topics only), Geography 360G, Mathematics 408D or 408S, 340L, 358K, 362K, 362M, Public Health 341R.
b. Environmental health sciences: Biology 337 (Topic: Emerging Infectious Disease), 375, 478T, Biomedical
Engineering 301, Civil Engineering 341, 342, 346, 346K, 369L, Geology 302C, 307, 346C, 476K, 476M,
Geography 334C, 339K, 356T (approved topics only), 357, 360G, Marine Science 307, 354Q, Public Health
341R.
c. Health policy and management: Bridging Disciplines 329, Economics 304K, 304L, 330T (approved topics
only), Government 335N (approved topics only), 357M (approved topics only), 358, 360N (Topic 10:
Introduction to International Relations), 365N (Topic 9: International Environmental Policy), 370L
(approved topics only), Human Development and Family Sciences 362, Management 320F, Philosophy
325L, 325M, 347, Public Affairs 310S (approved topics only), 325 (approved topics only), 330C, 330S
(approved topics only), Public Health 341R, Sociology 354K.
d. Infectious diseases and public health microbiology: Biology 329, 129L, 330, 230L, 336, 337 (Topic:
Genomics and Proteomics in Human Infectious Disease Research), 337 (Topic: Virulence Mechanisms of
Bacterial Pathogens), 347, 360K, 160L, 361, 361L, 361P, Public Health 341R.
e. Nutrition: Nutrition 312R, 315 or 331, 316, 321, 331, 338W or 338H, 342, 354 (approved topics only, 355H,
Public Health 341R.
f. Social and behavioral sciences: Only one advertising or communications course may be counted. Advertising
305, 319, 334, Communication Studies 306M, 332, 332K, 342K, 355K, 367, Geography 356T (Topic:
Gender and Health), Health Education 329K, 335, 352K (approved topics only), 370K (approved topics
only), 371K, 373, Marketing 320F, Pharmacy 350K, Public Health 341R, Social Work 310, 311, Sociology
319, 321K (approved topics only), 329, 336D, 354K, 369K, 369L, Women’s and Gender Studies 345 (Topic
35: Psychosocial Issues in Women’s Health).
9. At least eighteen semester hours of upper-division coursework must be completed in residence at the
University. All students must complete at least thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework.
9. One of the following foreign language/culture choices.14
a. Second-semester-level proficiency, or the equivalent, in a foreign language.
b. First-semester-level proficiency, or the equivalent, in a foreign language and a three-semester-hour course in
the culture of the same language area.
c. Two three-semester-hour courses in one foreign culture area. The courses must be chosen from an approved
list available in the dean’s office and the college advising centers.
10. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours.
OPTION II: PUBLIC HEALTH HONORS
5. Breadth requirement: An honors mathematics course; Biology 315H and 325H; Chemistry 301H and 302H.
Credit by examination may not be counted toward this requirement.
6. In fulfilling requirement 2, students must complete an honors statistics course.
7. Chemistry 201, 320M and 369.
8. A section of Undergraduate Studies 303 that is approved by the program honors adviser.
9. A section of Rhetoric and Writing 309S that is restricted to Dean's Scholars.
10. Two semesters of Public Health 379H.
11. Nine additional hours of coursework approved by the departmental honors adviser.
12. Six semester hours of coursework in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Fine Arts.
13. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.
Option III: Advanced Program
This program provides students with a foundation in the natural sciences applied to public health and advanced
specialist training in preparation for a leadership position in public health practice. This program leads to the
completion of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health and the Master of Public Health, awarded by the School
of Public Health at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston. During the senior year, students
complete the first year of the Master of Public Health at the Austin Regional Campus. The second year of the
Master of Public Health is completed at one of the five regional campuses in Austin, Brownsville, Dallas, El
Paso, Houston, and San Antonio. Upon completion of the first year of the Master of Public Health, coursework
is applied toward option III requirements. Option III students may apply to graduate upon completion of the
undergraduate degree requirements and prior to the completion of the Master of Public Health, or may apply to
graduate to receive both degrees in the same semester.
5. Mathematics 408C or 408N.
6. Biology 311C, 311D, 325; or 315H and 325H. These courses must be completed before the student progresses
to other upper-division biology and upper-division public health courses.
7. Chemistry 301 or 310H, 302 or 302H, 204, 320M, and 369.
8. Eighteen hours of approved upper-division elective coursework in public health or a supporting area. Graduate
coursework completed at the School of Public Health at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center may be
applied toward this requirement.
9. One of the following foreign language/culture choices.
a. Second-semester-level proficiency, or the equivalent, in a foreign language.
b. First-semester-level proficiency, or the equivalent, in a foreign language and a three-semester-hour course in
the culture of the same language area.
c. Two three-semester-hour courses in one foreign culture area. The courses must be chosen from an approved
list available in the dean's office and the college advising centers.
10. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 126 semester hours.